Belt installation/removal guide

Abstract

A guide useful to install or remove a belt from a belt module is shown. This guide is made up of two pivotable wings over which an endless belt is initially draped. Once pivotly attached to a belt module, the guide wings are moved away from each other to form a belt form over a top of the top drive rollers. A tube is attached to a bottom drive roller to help transfer the belt to the bottom drive roller. Once the belt is slidably positioned adjacent each drive roller, the belt is transferred from the guide and tube to the drive rollers for final installation.

1. A method of installing an endless belt in a belt module of an electrostatic marking machine which comprises:
 providing a belt installation guide having two separate movable wings, 
 said wings each having connection apertures in their lower portions; 
 pivotably connecting said wings to said belt module at a location adjacent to a belt path of said module, loosely draping an endless belt over a top portion of each pivotable wing; pivotably moving said wings away from each other to carry said supported belt to a substantially horizontal position at a top of said module; 
 moving said belt around top drive belt rollers in said modules; 
 moving a tubular extension adjacent a bottom belt drive roller in said module; 
 sliding said belt inboard from said guide and said tubular extension onto said top and bottom rollers, respectively; 
 engaging a belt-lightning mechanism to securely attach said belt around said rollers, 
 and in a last step, remove said guide and said tubular extension from said modules. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1  whereby said guide and tubular extensions after removal from the modules are stored for further use. 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 1  whereby said wings are provided with apertures for pivotal connection to projections in a plate in said module. 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 1  where one of said top rollers is a tension roller that is enabled to secure said belt tightly around said rollers when moved to an original belt driving position. 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 1  wherein said machine is an electrostatic marking apparatus selected from the group consisting of monochromatic systems, color marking systems and mixtures thereof. 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 1  wherein said belt is an intermediate transfer belt. 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 1  wherein said belt is manually pushed over said rollers from said guide and said tubular extensions.